Reynolds v. U.S. : Decision

 


This was the first case decided by the U. S. Supreme Court involving the First Amendment’s “free exercise” clause. The Court ruled that “laws cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, (but) they may with practices.” Otherwise, religions could permit human sacrifices or lying on a funeral pyre. Therefore, the “free exercise’ clause protects against laws interfering with religious beliefs and not practices that are criminal.


To see the entire Reynolds v. U.S.  decision.
 

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